Bus construction



R. FULLER.

BUS CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED Nov,23. 1917 1 350, 60 l Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET Iv In {mi INVENTOR R DOLPHUSFDLLE'FQ ATTORNEYS R. FULLER.

BUS CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED N0vI23. I917.

1,350,601.. I t ntedAug- 24,1920

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR ODOLJ HUS FBI-LEE? ATTORNEYS.

R. FULLER.

BUS CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED NOV, 23. 1917. 1,350,601. Aug. 24,1920

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR RoDoLPHw FULLER;

ATTORNEYfi UNITED STATES BODOLPHUS FULLER, 015' DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

BUS CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24%, 1920.

Application filed November 23, 1917. Serial No. 203,537.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, Rononrnns FULLER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigamhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bus Construction, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to. an inclosed double deck motor coach, and has special reference to a coach or bus electrically operated with a drivin mechanism to each wheel of the coach or us.

My invention aims to provide a vehicle of the above type that possesses many characteristics, and that in which the publicwill be most concerned is the novel and large seating capacity of the coach or bus, when compared to its dimension, and it is in this connection that the manufacturer is concerned,

as l have devised a coach or bus that may be safely, economically and expeditiously operated even on narrow or congested streets, with a maximum load that may be comfortably accommodated. The coach or bus has been designed to comfortably seat fifty persons, the lower or main deck accommodating twenty-one persons and the upper deck twenty-nine, and this is accomplished by a novel, mechanical construction which affords plenty of overhead space for the occupants of the coach, easy access to the seats thereof, and the handling of ingoing and outgoing passengers.

My invention will be hereinafter more fully considered,"and reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a coach or busin accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same, showing the main lower deck;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the upper deck of the coach;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view .of the rear portion of the coach, and

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same.

In describing my invention by aid of the views above referred to, I desire to point out that the same are intendedas merely illustrative of an example by which my invention may be put'into practice, and I do not care to confine myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts which are the obvious equivalent of those to be hereinafter referred to.

The coach comprises an oblong body having a main floor 1 and a vestibule floor 2 at the rear end thereof, said vestibule floor being in proximity to the ground or surface of a street so that passengers may easily enter or leave the coach. The main floor 1 supports side walls 3 and l, a front wall 5, and a rear wall 6, besides a transverse partition 7 which cohperates with the front wall 5 and the side walls 3 and 4 in providing a motormans compartment 8. The walls 3, 4, 5 and 6 are provided with as many windows as possible, properly guarded, so as to admit .as much light to the main or lower deck as is possible without sacrificing rigidity and strength of said wall. The side wall 4, at the forward end thereof has a door 9 for the motormans compartment 8 and at the rear end of the wall 4 are doors 10 for the vestibule portion of the coach, and these doors may be of the ordinary rat trap type.

On the floor 1, at the walls 3 and i, are confronting longitudinal seats 11, each of which will accommodate five passengers. in the aisle, between the seats 11 and against the partition 7 is a single seat 12.

At the rear end of the floor 1 and at the side walls 3 and 4, are double seats 13 facing forward, single side seats 1 confronting each other, and single seats 15 facing rearwardly. The single side seats 14 are approached by small platforms 16 and the purpose of these platforms will hereinafter appear when considering the running gear or the chassis of the coach.

In the vestibule portion of the coach, and against the side wall 3 is a longitudinally disposed seat 17 capable of accommodating three passengers, and adjacent the seats 15, 13 and 11 are stanchions or uprights 18 all of which cooperate with the walls and partitions of the coach body in supporting an upper deck floor 19. The upper deck floor, at the rear end thereof, has a stair well for a flight of stairs 20, leading from the vestibule floor 2 to the upper deck floor 19, as best shown in Fig. 4, and this flight of stairs has suitable hand rails 21 so that passengers 1 may safely ascend and descend the same. By

reference to Figs. 2 and 4, it will be noted that the selit 17, is under a portion of the flight of stairs and that there is plenty of head room for persons to pass around the act flight of stairs and occupy the seat 17:. It is optional with the passengers enterlng the coach whether to ascend the stairs and occupy the upper deck or enter the main or lower deck.

The upper deck floor 19 has longitudinal seats 22 disposed back to back and by again referring to F ig. 4:, it will be noted that the seats 22 form arched portions 23 of the upper deck floor 19, consequently the ceiling of the main or lower deck is arched and this is an important feature of my invention. The arched portion 23 of the floor 19 is directly over the longitudinal central aisle of motorman s compartment 18 and supports a front wall 24, while the walls 3, 4 and 6 are' carried upwardly and provided with a roof 27. The upper portions of the walls 3, '1 and 6, and also front wall 24, have a multiplicity of guarded windows, and against the front wall 24 are single seats 25 while a single seat'26 is placed at the stair well and against the wall 1. I

The roof 27 is of a substantial kind and besides being supported by. the walls of the coach body,"there are stanchions or uprights 28 at the confronting backs of the longitudinal seats 22, and the entire structure possesses a degree of rigidity which insures safetywith minimum weight.

Considering the running gear or chassis of the coach body, there is a suitable longitudinal frame 29 beneath the main deck floor 1 and the rear end of said frame has a suitable truck including rear wheels 30, prefer ably' of the double truck type. To provide clearance for the rear wheels 30, the side walls 3 and 1 are cut away and provided with recesses 31 extending under the seats 14 and the platforms 16 in front of the seats 14, the recesses 31 also serving as fenders for the rear wheels. I

At the forward end of the frame 29 is a truck 32having front steering wheels 33 operatable through the medium of a suitable steerin mechanism 34.

A suitable power plant is provided for the coach, preferably at the forward end, of the frame 29, and adapted to operate motors 3% so that all of the wheels of the coach may be driven. The present invention, relates more particularly to the coach body, therefore it will be understood that any suitable chassis and power plant, together with other necessary appurtenances may be used to complete the vehicle.

In designing the coach or bus, it has been my aim to provide a vehicle of large seating capacity and low in height, so that the vehicle may be operated on streets or roads and be able to pass under exceedinglylow wires, conduits, viaducts, bridges and other overhead structures, thus making it possible to operate the vehicle on all streets of any city.

lVhat I claim is 1. A coach body having completely inclosed lower and upper decks with the side walls of said body provided with windows for both decks and one side wall provided with doors at the lower deck,'one of said doors permitting entrance to an inclosed motormans compartment in the front end of the lower deck and the other door permitting entrance to an inclosed vestibule formed in the rear end of the lower deck and having a floor below the floor of the lower deck, stairs at the rear wall of said body leading from the vestibule of the lower deck to the rear inclosed end of the upper deck and providing clearance for a seat under said stairs in the vestibule of the lower deck,a seat in said clearance and a seat ad jaeent the well of said stairs on the upper deck.

2. A coach body as characterized in claim 1, and in which the lower deck has a longitudinally arched ceiling formed in part b longitudinally disposed seats arranged bac r to back on the upper deck, and seats on the lower deck providing a central aisle constantly open to the vestibule at the rear of the lower deck with some of said seats causing the passengers to seat face forward and others .to seat face to face.

3. A coach body as characterized in claim 1, and in which the upper deck has its forward end overhanging the motormans compartment of the lower deck and said lower deck provided with uprights at some of the seats thereof serving as handgrips for passengers and as supports for the upper deck.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

RODOLPHUS FULLER.

Witnesses:

.ANNA M. Donn, .KARL H. BUTLER. 

